


downtown girls

by tenderlesbians



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: 97 liners are downtown girls, Alternate Universe, Attempt at Humor, F/F, Romance, also its supposed to be 80s murica but not actually, chuulip are spoiled rich girls, haseul owns a lesbian bar, oh thats a tag nice, vivi is chuus half sister(shes only mentioned once but shhhh)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 14:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19466128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenderlesbians/pseuds/tenderlesbians
Summary: Jinsol revved the motorbike she was sitting on, Jungeun blissfully smiling behind her, arms wrapped around her midriff and a helmet on her head.Jiwoo's eyes fell on another bike parked next to them that she failed to notice before."Oh no.""Oh yes." Sooyoung seemed to be enjoying her distress just a little too much.(billy joel - uptown girl)





	downtown girls

**Author's Note:**

> me listening to literally any song:  
> how can i make this gay and/or about loona
> 
> halfway thru also realized i dont fuckin know how to write chuuves lmao

Jiwoo was sitting on Jungeun's pink and pillow-filled bed, it was very much unlike its owner and she had already teased her best friend about it many times. It was supposed to be one of their usual sleepovers, but Jungeun had phoned her house and said they needed to talk about something important.

When she arrived, a new maid had let her inside. That sadly wasn't a rare occurrence at the household, with Jungeun's strict father having a short temper. The only reason Jiwoo was probably even allowed to go into the house whenever she pleased was because of her family's similar wealthy status and the fact that she was the only other girl around the same age in the neighbourhood, when their families moved next to each other.

There was a faint sound of laughter and music coming from downstairs. The party filled with politicians and other important people from work of her friend's father had been going on for a while now. Jiwoo tightened her hold on an expensive swan plushie from one of Jungeun's shelves. Suddenly the doors swung open and she jumped.

Jungeun stomped in, already halfway in the process of taking off the really pretty but stuffy dress her parents bought for her. She stopped in her tracks and looked at the frozen Jiwoo on the bed.

"I hate everything." The sitting girl sighed and threw the toy aside.

"I know. Let me help you."

With Jungeun left in a silky underdress, she kicked the offending piece of frilly fabric crumpled on the floor, making sure her disdain was clearly known.

"Sorry you had to wait, dad was being extra annoying today. Brought over even more 'potential suitors'." She spat out the last two words with disgust. Jiwoo pat her head, being well acquainted with the overwhelmingly heterosexual expectations of her own parents.

"Don't worry, I had this little guy keep me company." She picked up the swan again and sat down next to Jungeun, who was now flopped face first on her bed. Her friend snorted and propped herself up on her elbows.

"Dork." She got up and started pacing around the room. She always did so when she was nervous and Jiwoo started to worry. "I did want to tell you something though."

Jiwoo smiled despite the knot in her stomach and gave an encouraging nod.

"So you remember how I snuck out a couple of weeks ago?" She thought that was a dumb question, because how could she not? Her father almost launched a full police search party, only calming down when Jiwoo had called (and _lied_ ) about Jungeun being with her.

"What happened? Did they find out? Did you get drugged and are now being blackmailed by the Canadian mafia?"

"Funny story actually-"

She was cut off by a sound coming from the direction of the window. It sounded like a knock and Jiwoo's blood ran cold.

"Speak of the devil." With an almost jog, she went to the window and opened it.

"Jungeun what are you doing? Do you _want_ to get axe-murdered?!"

"Its fine, trust me."

Jiwoo's retort was caught in her throat as a stranger clambered in through the window. They released a small yelp when they hit their head on the window frame, but soon recovered as they straightened up and their face lit up. The stranger- the girl was tall and had blonde hair; Jiwoo didn't know if it was just her imagination or if she could really feel the smell of bleach coming from her. Her clothes were mostly leather, worn and ripped from a lot of use, giving her an intimidating aura, which was immediately shattered as something flew in from the window and smacked into her face. She spluttered and scooped it up as Jungeun stepped towards her.

"Fucking- Hi baby!" She extended her dirt covered hands forward, holding what Jiwoo now saw was a small bouquet. She watched Jungeun accept the gift and kiss the taller girl's cheek. She leaned down and whispered something that made Jungeun giggle. Jungeun never giggled, and now this complete stranger was _nuzzling her_ and she was _letting_ her and Jiwoo felt like she was going to faint any minute.

"How is this fine, Jungeun what the _hell_?!"

"This is Jinsol." The blonde girl waved with the hand that wasn't wrapped around Jungeun's waist.

"Nice to meet you! You must be Jiwoo, Jungie talked a lot about you!"

" _Jungie?_ " Jiwoo felt her voice crack as it reached a higher octave. At least Jungeun still had enough sense to seem to be embarrassed.

"Give me two minutes to get ready." To say Jiwoo was fuming when she passed her the flowers was an understatement. "Try to get to know each other?"

Jinsol plopped down onto a nearby chair when the other girl left the room and Jiwoo winced. She looked down at the bouquet she was holding to put off having to interact. The roses really were beautiful though, and strangely familiar.

"Where did you get these?"

"I picked them from the house next door. Aren't they cool?"

"That's _my_ house."

"Oh sorry, I didn't know." She scratched her nose. "But it's the thought that matters, right?"

The small girl smiled through gritted teeth. She turned around and put the stolen flowers in a small vase on top of a nightstand.

"I don't know what is going on but you _will_ tell me what your- your _business_ with my best friend is." She pointed her finger at the sitting girl, trying to be as intimidating as possible, but unfortunately came off more as an angry hamster.

"Oh no no! I work pretty far from the business district, down by the docks. Have a job at the junkyard actually! I'm not trying to sell her anything." Jiwoo didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"I meant what do you want from her."

"Oh!" Jinsol looked like she had some sort of a profound epiphany. "Not anything really. Except for a kiss, but you know how it is." She winked.

"I really don't." Jinsol didn't hear her.

"She's really funny and also hella smart though. And holy fuck have you seen her? So pretty, like royalty or some shit. Didn't think that was allowed, but I just really like her, y'know?" Jiwoo might have thought the words were kind of sweet if it wasn't for the fact that she was in the process of untying a knot in her long hair. And the use of profanities.

"I- give me a moment." She hurried to the bathroom adjacent to the room and locked the door after entering.

Jungeun was in a completely different set of clothes and redoing her makeup. 

"Would you be so kind and explain what in the world is going on?"

She didn't even pause in applying a deep red lipstick, only turning around with a pop of her lips when she finally finished.

"I met her at a bar downtown that night. Not much to explain, we've been seeing each other since then." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "We're going there now too, so come on. Are you going to go in that?"

"Are you crazy? What makes you think I'm coming with you? What makes you think I am even going to let you go?!"

"Jinsol is fun to be around. She's sweet and kind and has this simpleness around her, I just- I don't know."

Jungeun sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Jiwoo, we're almost twenty-one and we haven't experienced anything outside of this snobby neighborhood. Lately I've seen so many new things and it's scary but so exciting." She took the other girl's hands in her own. "I just wanted to share it with my best friend."

Jiwoo thought for a moment, already knowing her decision.

"You know Kahei is going to kill us both if she finds out where we were?"

Jungeun grinned.

"Don't worry, she won't."

"And what's wrong with my outfit?"

"Nothing, nothing. Let's just go." She laughed and pulled Jiwoo back into the bedroom.

Jinsol was still lazing around in the same spot and stood up when she saw them.

"Ready to rock and roll?"

Jiwoo didn't care enough to try to mask her disgust at the phrase as she walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" The other two girls were standing next to the still open window. Jiwoo only now noticed their outfits somewhat matched and _when did Jungeun even manage to leave a lipstick mark on the taller girl's neck?_

"Outside?" She gestured at the door.

They shared a look and Jiwoo understood what they meant when they continued to stand still.

"Jungeun we're on the second floor."

Without another word Jinsol slipped out the same way she entered.

"I was scared the first time as well, but you'll get the hang of it." Jungeun threw one of her legs over the ledge. "Besides, Sol will catch you if you fall. She may not look like it but her arms are really hot. I mean- strong. Strong arms."

Jiwoo knew that statement was supposed to be comforting, but it had just the opposite effect. She sighed and very tentatively followed her friend into the night.

* * *

After almost falling down exactly seven times (yes, she counted), Jiwoo was finally on the stable and pristinely kept ground of Jungeun's backyard.

Not for long, however, as her friend dragged her to the high metal fence. Jiwoo bitterly thought how this night was just getting better and better.

Jinsol helped her by hoisting her up, and soon the three of them were on the quiet street. She put just a little more force than necessary into her foot and felt a sense of pride when she saw the tall girl nursing her fist.

Which lead to her being completely distracted by a concerned Jungeun bringing palms to her lips, and didn't notice a shadow approaching from behind. Jiwoo released a high pitched screech as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Jesus, she's loud!" The same hand covered her mouth to stifle her screaming and she bit down on it. The person behind her yelped and she wasted no time in turning around and bringing her knee to their stomach.

Jiwoo finally got a good look at the figure writhing on the ground; another girl with long brown hair and clothing similar to Jinsol's. And judging by the way the blonde girl was almost losing her footing with how hard she was laughing, they knew each other.

"Serves you right, Sooyoung." Jungeun was amused as well and Jiwoo started to reevaluate their friendship, because if she was on a first name basis with people like this, who knows what else she was hiding? Next thing she knows Jungeun might tell her she actually likes men. Preposterous.

"Fucking hell, is it a crime to want to introduce myself to a cute girl?" Sooyoung was getting up now, dusting off her jacket. Still not discouraged, she smiled at Jiwoo.

"Hi, I'm Sooyoung. Do you have a name or can I call you mine?"

"You're dealing with an uptown girl here, try to show at least some class." Jinsol very unnaturally stuck out her elbow for a laughing Jungeun to take and lead them a bit down the street.

"Wait don't leave me here with this-" Jiwoo was cut off by the tall girl's intense gaze.

"With this what?" She raised an eyebrow and Jiwoo blushed.

Before she could say something potentially offensive, a bright light hit the both of them. Jinsol revved the motorbike she was sitting on, Jungeun blissfully smiling behind her, arms wrapped around her midriff and a helmet on her head.

Jiwoo's eyes fell on another bike parked next to them that she failed to notice before.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes." Sooyoung seemed to be enjoying her distress just a little too much. She very exaggeratedly bowed, one of her arms behind her back.

"After you, m'lady."

"Thank you." Jiwoo's reply, a pure reflex at this point, was dry as she cursed her parents for drilling such good manners into her head.

Sooyoung got onto the seat with practiced ease and the machine slightly screeched under her weight. Jiwoo looked at it suspiciously.

"Don't worry, she'll hold up." She gently patted the bike's front light. "Jinsol built it herself so it has, like, an official guarantee."

The still standing girl scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Well when you say it that way-"

"Jiwoo we don't have all night. Get on the damn bike." Jungeun's impatient shout was muffled from her position in the crook of Jinsol's nape.

"Yeah, princess. Just imagine like its riding one of your horses or whatever." Jiwoo didn't appreciate her condescending tone.

But nevertheless, she had to try. For Jungeun's sake.

At least that's what she tried to tell herself when she was completely pressed against Sooyoung's toned back, her hands very unsurely holding onto the fabric of her striped shirt.

Sooyoung turned around and very crudely put a helmet over her hair, messing it up. As her body turned, Jiwoo could feel the muscles of her stomach move and of course she had abs, because the universe just hated her _that_ much.

She didn't get to ponder her newfound discovery for long, as the engine beneath them roared to life. Jiwoo squeaked.

"This is definitely different from a horse!"

"Wait you actually have one? I was just joking." Sooyoung slowly lifted her foot off the ground. "I should have known though."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry your pretty head, just hold on tight."

Jiwoo didn't know if it was the sudden jerk of the bike forward or the fact she called her pretty that made her feel butterflies in her stomach. Well, it was more like a swarm of really angry bees. Technicalities.

Jiwoo didn't know how long they travelled to wherever in the world they were going to as she kept her eyes closed the whole time. And usually she would have been embarrassed about her death grip on the girl in front of her, but survival was a lot more important at that moment.

She didn't even notice that they arrived, and Jungeun had to practically peel her away from Sooyoung, who had a very obnoxious grin on her face.

The four of them were standing in front of a very run down looking bar. The sign hanging above the door looked like it would fall off any moment, and read 'The Green Dove' in a pretty cursive. The inside was crowded, judging by the sound of people and a very out of tune piano. Over all that noise, the nearby murmur of the sea waves could still be heard as Jinsol lead the way inside.

Jiwoo didn't know what to expect; she's never been to any kind of bar, much less a downtown one, but the sight before her made her speechless.

The interior was immaculately decorated, despite the mismatched furniture and what looked like booths taken from other restaurants. The walls were filled with writings; when Jiwoo looked at them closer, they were short excerpts from books or well-known verses. All of the quotes were very neatly scribbled between posters of women in different states of undress.

The bartender was a small woman, her presence almost covered by the high surface of the bar littered with a variety of bottles. Her brown hair reached her shoulders, that were covered in a very worn out mustard vest. Underneath it, she had a simple white shirt, and a bowtie that was too big on her.

"Oh, good evening!"

The new patrons approached her, and she put down the glass she had been cleaning.

"I see you've brought a new face."

"This is Jiwoo." The girl in question shyly waved when Jungeun nodded her head in her direction. "She's my friend."

"The more the merrier! Welcome, my name is Haseul. I am technically the owner of this humble establishment." She made a vague gesture around her. "Now, what can I get you?"

Jinsol ordered before Jiwoo had any time to protest, only understanding 'beer' from the overly complicated string of words that she guessed were all different kinds of alcohol. The drinks appeared in front of them in a moment and they made their way further inside.

Passing by the other people there, they were predominantly women. Most of them were drinking something while softly talking with their companions. Looking at everyone there, Jiwoo suddenly felt extremely out of place in her expensive outfit.

She kept close to her friend as they sat around a small table, Jungeun's hand in hers calming her down. A brown bottle was placed in front of her and she felt her seat move as Sooyoung threw one of her arms onto its backrest.

"So, I had the craziest thing happen to me today." Everyone turned their attention to Jinsol, who started relaying the story of a weirdly large chihuahua she swore she saw drive a car, Sooyoung occasionally quipping in with jokes and comments.

In the middle of it, Jiwoo had taken a small sip of the beer in front of her and immediately regretted her choice. Luckily only Jungeun saw her splutter and quietly rubbed her back as the other two were stuck in a passionate discussion about whether dogs should have the right to vote.

The conversation continued somewhat naturally after that, with Jiwoo managing to try more of her drink and deciding that the burning sensation she felt down her throat was better than she initially thought. She didn't know how, but her bottle never seemed to empty and with each passing moment she felt more and more relaxed.

All the stories she heard blurred together, but she managed to find out more about the two mysterious girls she had met only a few hours ago. Jinsol worked mostly with scrap metal at the junkyard, and was very skilled in saving seemingly broken devices and vehicles from being forever crushed. When she was young, she had dreamed of becoming an engineer, but life had different plans and she was forced to stop with her education halfway and start working. Despite everything though, her smile never once left her face and Jiwoo forced herself to look away when the older girl's eyes tenderly met Jungeun's.

Sooyoung worked at the docks, helping with moving cargo and sometimes even travelling to far away towns. She was a bit more tight-lipped about her past, but instead shared stories about her trips. Her playful words made them laugh, and were sometimes flirty, mostly aimed at the small girl next to her. Somehow the arm that was leaned on the back of Jiwoo's chair had ended up curled around her shoulders.

Jiwoo didn't mind it one bit.

She didn't remember how much she had shared of her own life, but ultimately didn't care. She might have said some things her family would strongly disapprove of, she probably talked too much in general, but in a stranger's arms, in this small bar across town, away from her home and everything else she knew, she felt safe and good and _free_. Free from her parents' and everyone else's expectations, free from the constant eyes on her and persisting whispers wherever she went.

The cheery music gradually got quieter and quieter until it stopped, and that seemed to be the sign for them to leave.

The ride back was spent in silence again, but this time Jiwoo had her eyes wide open.

They were speeding past sleeping neighborhoods, the streetlamps and neon signs mixing together into flowing strips of light. The wind blowing around them and the warm body she was holding onto made Jiwoo feel like she was truly breathing for the first time in her life.

It all ended too soon as big white houses came into view. The two engines turned off and the street was left in complete silence.

Jiwoo took off the helmet and carefully laid it down on the empty seat of the bike. Her and Sooyoung leaned onto cold metal and watched as their slightly drunk friends still softly exchanged words. Their foreheads were pressed against each other, noses bumping together. Jiwoo felt like she was intruding, and let her gaze fall to her feet when she thought she read something about 'love' off their lips.

"Can I see you again?" Sooyoung was nonchalantly looking at the distance, but the way she was tapping her boots against the concrete told Jiwoo enough about her actual state.

Instead of answering, the small girl leaned up and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek.

While skipping away, Jiwoo looked back to see the shocked girl still had her mouth open, and triumphantly smiled.

"Sweet dreams, Sooyoung."

**Author's Note:**

> i was plannin on viseul and more shit but idk what the fuck happened i just wanted soft lipsol s o b b
> 
> there might be a pt.2 there might not
> 
> ((give me attention on tw @orbutch))


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